Onion topper



May 20 192;. 1,494,697

w P. MILLER omou TOPPER Filed March 1923 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 20, 1924.

UNITED sr PERRY MILLER,

PATENT ()FFICE,

or ALGER, 01110.

ONION TOPPER.

Application filed March 7, 1923.' Serial No. 623,468

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY- MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alger, in the county of Hardin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Onion Topper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an onion topper, and'has for its primeobject toprovide a topper constructed on the principle of a pair of shears, which will quickly and readily sever the heads from the onions prior to crating of same for market.

A further object of the invention is to provide an onion topper of the above indicated character, which can be quickly and readily secured in position to the side of a crate, and which is automatic in operation upon bringing of an onion into engagement with the shear-like blades.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an onion topper of the above indicated character, which is simple in construction, durable, efficient for the purpose intended, and one that can be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost.

These and like objects of the invention will be better understood as the description follows and as is specifically pointed out in the appended claims. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of an onion topper constructed in accordance with my x invention, showing same applied to the side of a crate.

Figure 2 is an end elevation ofmy topper removed from the side of the crate.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of an onion topper constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of same, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, like characters will be used to designate like parts in the diiferent views.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a crate to which my improved onion topper is adapted to be connected.

My improved onion topper comprises a plate 2 having a spring clip 3 attached to one side of same at opposite ends, as is clearly shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that i the spring clips 3 are attached to the plate 2 in any suitable manner;

A pair of shearslike blades i having'opposing cutting edges 5 are adapted --to be connected'to, the upper edge of the plate; 2on' the oppositeside of same to which the clips :3 are connected.

One of the shear-like blades 4' i rigidly secured -tothegupper edge of: the plate 2' by bolts 6, *while the opposite blade is rigidly secured tothe middle of the plate by one of the bolts 6, but the said blade is permitted a limited movement by being provided with an arcuate slot 7 adjacent one corner of same, through which passes a fastening bolt 8.

A fastening bolt 6 has a spring coiled around same as at 9, and the spring has two diverging arms 10 and 11, which are spaced away from the shear-like blades 4. The

upper portion of each of the arms 10 and 11 are bent inwardly as at 12 and are adapted to pass through an eye 13 in the blades and the free end of each of the wires is turned upwardly as at 14 for securely locking same in position. readily seen that the tensionof the spring around the'bolt 6 and the outwardly diverging arms will force the cutting edges 5 into engagement with each other.

When an onion is placed between the blades and moved downwardly against the cutting edges 5, same will be readily severed.

Thus it can be fore, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact detailsrof construction shown, nor to the combination and arrangement of parts.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an onion topper, a base having a pair of spring clamping arms for engagement with said support, shear-like blades having beveled cutting edges secured to the upper edge of said base, a coil spring secured to said base and having divergmg arms connecting said shear-like members adjacent their pointed ends for moving the cutting edges of saidshear-like blades into.

engagement with each other.

2. An onion topper of the class described comprising a base plate, a pair of spring clamping arms being secured to said plate,

' a pair of shear-like blades having opposed cutting edges, means for rigidly connecting said blades to the base plate, one of said blades having an arcuate slot formed therein, a fastening bolt passing through said slot for limiting the movement of the blade.

3. An onion topper comprising a base plate, apair of spring clamping arm'slconnected to the latter, shear-like blades having opposed cutting edges secured to the upper edge of the base plate on the opposite sides to which the spring arms are connected, one

the free ends of each of the Wires being turned upwardly for securely locking the same in positlon.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed 1113 signature in the presence of two witnesses. PERRY MILLER.

\Vitnesses: i is FRANK-L. Loy, V LYMAN P. CLARIL. 

